Maryland: Speed Camera Company Admits 5.2 Percent Error Rates

Maybe testing should be mandatory every year on each speed camera. That could work in favor for communities, showing those results when a speed citation winds up in court.

Got one last year in MD, 57 in a 50. Wonder if if I'll get a refund.

Which means there was probably a much higher error rate than 5.2%.

Maryland - We never met a tax we didn't like.

Aren't most of the speed cameras set to only ticket if you're going 10 or 15 MPH over the limit. Speed limit is 60MPH 5% error is only 3MPH. You're still speeding, by 7MPH instead of 10MPH.

Put the cameras near the end of a somewhat long downhill stretch. Many of us don't think that's fair but I'm sure it will generate a lot of revenue.

Assuming a camera has an accuracy of +/- 3% and it reads on the high side, then a vehicle that is traveling just below the trigger speed would be tagged for speeding with an incorrect reading printed on the photo is incorrect and that invalidates the reading being used in evidence. The incorrect speed being shown probably wouldn't come up if the vehicle was say 10 MPH above the trigger point, but it certainly could if it was only one MPH above.

As to cameras being at the bottom of a grade, it isn't that uncommon to see speed limits be drastically reduced at the bottom of hills. One road my wife and I travel several times a year goes from 55 coming down the mountain to 30 just where the grade ends. With cars shifting to neutral or "freewheeling" instead of using the engine for braking you need to be on the brakes which causes backups for others still coming down the grade.

Some either read the article incorrectly or didn't read it.

An audit revealed 5.2% of all of the tickets issued were incorrect.

Out of the city's 83 cameras, in an audit of 5 cameras which issued 15,000 tickets, 5.2% (780) were found to be incorrectly issued.

I know many here don't trust thenewspaper.com, so here is a Baltimore newspaper link.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-12-14/news/bs-md-speed...

ALL of the possible considerations for calculating either speeding or for Red Light cameras are tilted in the favor of the State of Maryland & the contractor who operates them on behalf of the State. That means maxing out revenues for both.

Speed cameras on downhill stretches, red light cameras which have a shortened yellow period, ...
are a few of the considerations about why ordinary citizens are getting angrier & angrier about an unfair system. Most citizens don't want speeders on their roads, but they find the system VERY unforginging.

This said as a citizen of MD since 1970.

Fred

Citizen or Subject?

Duly clarified!
Thank you.

Fred

I too am Komrade of Socialist State of Maryland, since 1952.

But have find it is fact of life here to be lied to and plundered by state. 5.2% seems not so bad overall, yes?

Is much better than Kiev.

Komrad - that is the frequency ONLY from speed cameras - not the amount taken!@#*

It is done differently in Kiev or St Petersburg for sure, BUT capitalists are VERY creative! Dah??

Fred

In Kiev, accuracy of speed kameras is 5.2%. Must pay fine anyway.